Conformation Analysis of Carotenoids in the Purple Bacterium Rhodobium marinum Based on NMR Spectroscopy and AM1 Calculation

Five carotenoids existing in the purple bacterium of Rhodobium marinum, lycopene, anhydrorhodovibrin, spirilloxanthin, rhodopin, and rhodovibrin, were isolated and purified. Their configurations in the chromophore region and conformations of the terminal part were determined by 1D, 2D 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The semiempirical quantum chemical calculation AM1 was subsequently performed using the rough 3-D structures established by NOE correlations as an initial input. The final optimized structures are coincident with 1H-1H NOE correlations and match with the X-ray crystallographic data of carotenoids. The calculation results show that chemically symmetrical carotenoids have a Ci point group. The Ci point group of molecules was destroyed by asymmetrical terminal part although the polyene chain still keeps it roughly. The polyene region of investigated carotenoids are in all-trans with slightly twisted in-plane and slight out-plane forming s-shape carbon backbone due to the spatial interaction of the methyl groups. Terminal parts, on the other hand, have several stable conformers due to the freely rotatable single bonds, but they prefer to take extended conformations.